1. Field of the Invention
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed generally to mounting of radio antennas and solar panels on explosion-proof enclosures. More particularly, the preferred embodiments are directed to mounting a radio antenna and a solar panel on an explosion-proof panel that does not negate the panel's explosion-proof ratings, and does not, in the preferred embodiments, occupy the standard conduit connections provided with the panel.
2. Background of the Invention
Electrical devices mounted in potentially explosive areas are generally required to be in explosion-proof enclosures. Potentially explosive areas may comprise locations such as hydrocarbon drilling operations, natural gas processing and transmission facilities, as well as dust-laden operations such as grain processing facilities. By mounting electrical devices in explosion-proof containers, the likelihood of an explosion caused by electrical arching, such as opening and closing of a contact or non-sealed relay device, are significantly reduced.
However, devices operating in potentially explosive environments do not necessarily operate standing alone. That is, these devices typically couple to, operate, or take inputs from devices external to the explosion-proof housing. Generally speaking, this communication with the outside world takes place through electrical conductors coupled to the external devices. These electrical conductors reach the explosion-proof enclosures through electrical conduits. Explosion-proof housings typically have only a few conduit connection ports prefabricated through the housing walls, thus making the conduit connections a limited resource (unlike enclosures that do not have an explosion-proof rating which may comprise many conduit connection knock-out locations).
An example of a location where explosion-proof housings may be used is a natural gas metering facility. In some circumstances, metering of gas may take place proximate to a stable power source and communication medium, but in some circumstances these metering facilities may be in remote locations. In remote locations, it may be necessary to power the metering equipment with batteries, the charge maintained with a solar panel array. Likewise, in these remote locations, metered information may need to be transferred to a central control facility, typically by using some form of wireless communication. Thus, the metering equipment, the radio equipment, as well as the batteries, are stored in the explosion-proof enclosure, requiring that the radio equipment and batteries couple to an antenna and solar panel, respectively, outside the explosion-proof enclosure. In the related art, coupling a radio to an antenna, whether radio frequency or satellite communication, and coupling the battery to the solar panel, each take place through a separate conduit connection port. FIG. 1 exemplifies just such an arrangement of an explosion-proof enclosure or housing 2 (having a circular cross section), a radio antenna 4 coupled at a first conduit connection port 6, and the solar panel 8 coupled to the explosion-proof housing 2 at a second conduit connection port 10. While this may be satisfactory in some installations, if any external device needs to electrically couple to the electronic device within the explosion-proof housing 2, this arrangement leaves no additional conduit connection port through which to make the electrical connection.
Thus, what is needed in the art is a way to mount a radio antenna and solar panel on an explosion-proof housing that does not require the use of the prefabricated conduit ports.